Most Likely A Refuge

[whatamithinking]

It was probably safe.

The bar was...unusually reticent, in the lower layers of her mind (and she hadn't pried further; she wasn't sure if she'd be noticed; she wasn't sure if offending would get her kicked out, and regardless of whether it was actually safe it was safer than anywhere else she'd been for the past...three years?) so she couldn't be sure this place wasn't really a trap of some kind, but the higher layers gave a plausible explanation that didn't involve being a trap, and whatever else it was warm and dry and had food. Her guard was probably a full 25% down. Positively trusting, these days.

Comments

[whatamithinking]

"That would be horrifying, but unless one of us discovers this happening it's not a terribly actionable horrible thing."

[onceandforall]

"Bar, has anyone else from my world been here since I was here last?"

No.

"Okay, so at least it doesn't happen by default somewhere I'm not normally affecting like, I don't know, Senegal."

[whatamithinking]

"Yeah. ...If you bring someone in here from your world and we take them home, what happens to them, I wonder?"

[onceandforall]

"...Possibly there winds up being two of them, so, I wouldn't want to do it casually."

[whatamithinking]

"I wouldn't either, but if for some reason it seems like a really good idea, forking is a less drastic failure mode than death."

[onceandforall]

"Who would I bring?"

[whatamithinking]

"Enh, I didn't say I expected it to happen."

[onceandforall]

Nod.

[whatamithinking]

"I wonder if you can get spells specifically to deal with the way the fluffs-in-particular are obnoxious."

[onceandforall]

"What do you mean?"

[whatamithinking]

"Something to--disrupt communication, or make it harder for them to observe you, or something like that."

[onceandforall]

"Maybe. Although if I only had a partial fluff-disruptor I'd worry it would make them more eager to disrupt me back."

[whatamithinking]

"Yeah. Those things are annoying."

[onceandforall]

"But they're so cute and fluffy." Headshake. "If my time traveling worked differently I'd probably slap myself at least once."

[whatamithinking]

"...I'm now imagining you accumulating a critical mass of selves as the loops progress."

[onceandforall]

"Heh."

[whatamithinking]

"I know it's not factually correct but I can't help but imagine that that would teach those little emotionless bastards the meaning of fear."

[onceandforall]

"I'm not sure I want to know what they're like when they're scared."

[whatamithinking]

"...Okay, good point, but given that it's not factually correct I think I'm okay to enjoy the mental images."

[onceandforall]

"Yes, help yourself to all the daydreams you like about dozens of me converging on an army of fluffs."

[whatamithinking]

"I don't even know if they'd have any idea what was happening if they suddenly started experiencing an emotion, come to think of...it...it is potentially possible that I could actually do that and my brain started generating reasons why trying would be a terrible idea the moment it crossed my mind and hasn't stopped yet."

[onceandforall]

"Oh my god, don't give the fluffs qualia."

[whatamithinking]

"Yeah, no, not even a little bit tempted, mostly mentioned it because I was startled and horrified by the idea."

[onceandforall]

"How would you even do it?"

[whatamithinking]

"Mind Palace Gateway, probably."